A Texas neurosurgeon whose botched procedures killed and paralyzed numerous patients between 2011 and 2013 was denied a bail reduction after his July arrest, based on an e-mail in which he vowed to "become a cold blooded killer." osmag.net/PnEvY7

In an anonymously published essay, the Annals of Internal Medicine shines a light on the OR's darkest, most overlooked misbehavior: the sexual abuse of anesthetized patients. osmag.net/3bCJEc

Since infectious bacteria and the complex design of endoscopes can foil even aggressive reprocessing protocols, routine microbial testing is necessary to prevent cross-contamination and protect patients' safety. osmag.net/7kwCEN

Duodenoscope makers Olympus, Pentax and Fujifilm failed to report scope-related infection incidents and failed to prove the adequacy of their scope reprocessing instructions, says the FDA. osmag.net/Hc0NxL

Should cataract surgery be allowed in office-based settings? Technological advances have spurred Medicare to consider the possibility for its 2016 fee schedule. osmag.net/Hv7AGb

Less than half of healthcare providers know the rules for removing and disposing of personal protective equipment, putting them at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. osmag.net/OSZ6qs

Playing music in the OR can help to reduce your patients' post-op pain and improve the efficiency of your surgeons' efforts, as long as it doesn't disrupt your staff's critical communications. osmag.net/j4oBMA

Does a publicly posted database of 16,827 surgeons' post-op complication rates promote healthcare transparency, or present a short-sighted and misleading view of clinical quality? osmag.net/rDRC5d

Elderly patient populations see the most post-surgical readmissions not because they're sicker, but because they don't understand your discharge instructions. osmag.net/cKRv4Q

The field of surface disinfection research lacks depth, focusing on specific products' antimicrobial capabilities instead of product-vs.-product comparisons and SSI reduction statistics. osmag.net/NZxEs7